Bask

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Bask

Bask, under saddle as a Park Horse

Breed: Arabian
Sire: Witraz (PASB)
Grandsire: Ofir (PASB)
Dam: Balalajka (PASB)
Maternal grandsire: Amurath-Sahib (PASB)
Sex: Stallion
Foaled: 1956
Country: Poland
Color: bay
Breeder: Albiogowa State Stud
Owner: Dr. Eugene LaCroix, Lasma Arabians
Honors
Racing Record
40-8-7-7, 4 years
Honors
National Champion in halter and performance, sired 196 US or Canadian National Champions
Infobox last updated on: January 15, 2008.

Bask, bred at the Albigowa State Stud in Poland and foaled in 1956, was a bay Arabian stallion who was imported into the United States in 1963 by Dr. Eugene LaCroix of Lasma Arabians. His sire was Witraz, by the famed Ofir, who also sired Witez II. His dam was Balalajka, a daughter of Amurath-Sahib.[1]

Contents

[edit] Ancestry

Bask was a member of a "family" of considerable significance. All but one of Balalajka's progeny were by Witraz, and hence full siblings to Bask.[2] His full sister Arfa was the dam of Argos, who was an important sire in Great Britain for Patricia Lindsay.[3] His full sister Bandola was a mare of significance known as "the Queen of Poland," and was the dam of Bandos, by Negatiw.[4] Bask's 3/4 sister Bachantka (by Wielki Szlem) had been imported to the United States in 1961 by Varian Arabians, where she was a Top Ten champion and major foundation mare for the Varian program.

[edit] Accomplishments in Poland and America

Having raced extensively in Poland, (4/40, 8/7/7) Bask was not evaluated as breeding stock until he was six. He never was put to stud in Poland, because the Janow Podlaski stud already stood a number of Witraz sons. For this reason, the Poles were also willing to sell him.[5]

Upon arrival in the United States, after a very rough journey by ship, he was put to stud and trained for the show ring. Bask earned his Legion of Merit from the International Arabian Horse Association (now Arabian Horse Association, and was the 1964 United States National Champion Halter stallion and the 1965 United States National Park horse Champion, one of only four Arabian stallions to ever accomplish such a feat. He was also 1967 reserve national champion in the harness driving equivalent of park, formal driving.[5]

[edit] Influence on American breeding

Bask sired 1050 purebred Arabian foals, most in the time before artificial insemination was widespread in the horse industry, and 196 of these were United States or Canadian National Champions.[1] His impact on American Arabian horse breeding has been described as "colossal".[6]

He died on July 24, 1979 from colic.[1]

[edit] Pedigree

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Kuhalian-Haifi (PASB)
(Imp. Poland from Arabia, 1931 )
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Ofir (PASB)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Dziwa (PASB)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Witraz (PASB)
(Polish Arabian Stud Book)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Fetysz
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Makata (PASB)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Gazella II
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Bask++[7]
1956 bay
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
35 Amurath II
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Amurath Sahib (PASB)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Sahiba
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Balalajka (PASB)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Ibn Mahomet
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Iwonka III (PASB)
exported to the United States, 1945
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Lysa
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ a b c Carpenter Legends p. 14-29
  2. ^ Progeny of Balalajka
  3. ^ Archer The Arabian Horse p. 44
  4. ^ Pedigree of Bandos
  5. ^ a b Bask Biography, web site accessed October 30, 2007
  6. ^ Archer The Arabian Horse p. 80
  7. ^ Bask pedigree from All Breed Pedigree Database accessed on October 28, 2007

[edit] References